Blue Palace

Located in the Upper Circle in the Capital City, it serves as the home of the D'Mon Royal House. It is massive and serves as the setting for nearly half of The Ruin of Kings.

Description
The Blue Palace has three courts, each court has increased security and the inner, third court, called the Private Court, is for the D'Mon immediate family. The palace itself is a blue celebration of delicate architecture and grandeur. The roofs are blue tile with strategically placed ramparts, towers and spires. The lapis lazuli walls form archways and or have set in them leaded glass windows or stone carvings. Scattered about are carious verandas, pavilions, and courtyards. It is important to note though that though massive, it is heavily and carefully guarded, with little blind spots. "'He had known the royal palaces were large, but this was almost more than he could believe. All of Velvet Town fit within those walls. This isn't a palace; its's a city.'"

Private Court
The Private Court (also known as the Prince's Court) is the inner most court of the three which make up the Blue Palace. It is still massive, containing three hundred rooms (including the Hall of Princes), a hospital, theater, and gardens. As it is where the D'Mon heirs and their immediate family reside, it is heavily guarded by five hundred or so guards and everyone is subject to inspection upon entering or leaving.

Hospital
Located in the private court, the hospital wing is a four story building tucked into the other buildings of the Private Court. It is well staffed and stocked. The apothecary within has several tables and chairs filled with measuring instruments and books. Lining the walls are drawers and cabinets stocked with herbs and medicines, which gives the air a herbal scent.

* Kihrin does suffer a wound when he arrives at the Blue Palace which renders him unconscious for several days. He wakes in a silken canopy bedroom with windows overlooking the palace. This is likely not the Hospital itself, nor is it likely the Hall of Princes. The location is therefore unknown.

Bath of Petals
A large bath house located in the Private Court.

Bathing Pool Courtyard & Conservatory
A courtyard garden surrounded by tall trees and flowering hedges. Several garden paths wind around and at their crossing is wide space, with a table and chairs. Next to the dining area is a bathing pool, large enough for over a dozen people. Alcoves line the courtyard and are large enough for a couple of musicians.

This area is also mentioned in Galen D'Mon's recollections as the Conservatory. ((Though the descriptions of the place vary between Kihrin's account and Galen's direct account, Darzin in the scene points to the blood stain on the floor from where Kihrin supposedly killed the guard (and Darzin the slave). This means either Darzin was lying, which is possible, or though vastly different, the place is the same and the difference attributed to perspective.)) He comments that the area is always extremely hot, as Darzin, who calls him there, seems to prefer.

Hall of Princes
Located in a southern tower of the Private Court is the rooms of the high lord, his heirs and sons, called the Hall of Princes (though its possible Darzin sleeps elsewhere as he's found to walk from elsewhere in the morning). The rooms are more like suites with balconies and lavish decor. It is the most private of areas in the palace.

Kihrin's Room
A suite of rooms with a garden, nature like theme. It has jeweled walls and large amounts of plants to point it looks like a garden. The furniture is not excessive. There are chairs and an elaborate bed made from the interweaving of live trees which serve as its four posts. It is also secure, with gilt-covered iron bars made into vine like lattice, the vines lining the walls have thorns, and the doors, both a main and a side, lock from the outside. The rooms were once those of Nora D'Mon, then redecorated when her handmaiden Lady Miya took over them. The side door leads to Therin D'Mon's suite. For more information on this, see the History section below. "'Kihrin's new suite of rooms was a palace in and of itself, an amazing confection of jeweled walls and plants that made the place resemble a garden as much as a living area. The centerpiece was a lavish bed crafted from the interlaced boughs of four living trees. Then Kihrin saw the trap. The ornate lattices covering the balcony openings were gilt-covered iron. The flowering vines hid nasty thorns. The main door locked from outside as did the side door connecting his suite to whoever lived next door. Whoever had used these rooms before him had also been a prisoner.'"

Therin's Study & Suites
Located within the Hall of Princes and adjacent to Kihrin's rooms is Therin's suite. The entrance is into his study, which is small and plain compared to the rest of the palace but has windows overlooking the Private Court. It has a map of the Empire in tile on the floor, and mahogany desk covered in books and papers just off center of the room. It has a bookcase in the corner with a door on the same wall leading to other rooms. On the opposite wall is a portrait of a brown headed figure in blue, likely Nora D'Mon.

Hall of Flowers
A hall in the Prince's Court. (It's wall was used to open a magical portal by Caerowan's men, so its possible it is the location of a Gatestone)

Dining Room
The Main Dining Room is massive, holding over a hundred people for a meal. Within are arranged twelve tables with seating location determined by favor and power. It can gather and seat nearly the whole D'Mon family and all who have claims of kinship.

Training Room
A room for practicing fencing and other athletic arts. It has a tiled ceiling and practice swords.

Galen's Secret Underground Chamber
Also called by Galen, The Crypt, this storeroom is off a short (five foot) servant access on the far side of the palace. It is fairly hidden, or at least forgotten, and kept by a old iron lock. The room is large enough to stand in, and has a flagstone floor. It is used as a store room for items wished forgotten, including a gold leaf statue of Thaena, complete with sharpened knives in her hand, and a painting of Pedron D'Mon. It was known to Bavrin D'Mon, and Galen theorizes he learned it from Sedric or Doniran. There is also a desk, which Galen used to write at when hiding in the room. It has a door which connects it to the crypts of Saric D'Mon and is located on the eastern side of the palace. "'Although cramped, the small storeroom never grew hot, no matter what the temperature outside. Galen suspected a great deal of fitted stone sat over their heads, acting as insulation against the scorching sun. The storeroom possessed no windows he had only the vaguest idea what their true location might be. The tunnel that reached this place contained twists and turns that Galen had never mapped. He liked to fancy they weren't on the D'Mon grounds anymore.'"

The Crypts
Located down a long flight of dusty steps in the east wing of the palace, and hidden behind a booby-trapped door, is a small chamber. It has been used as many things during the history of the palace (See History section below for more information). It is dim with no windows, but has a door which connects to a storeroom. It has several alcoves were the burial place of Saric D'Mon's concubines. "The vibrations are almost impossible to ignore. This place is so close to Hell you probably wouldn't even need a sacrifice to catch Xaltorath's attention.' 'You'll have your sacrifice,' Darzin said. 'I insist."

Stables
The D'Mon stables are fairly well sized and maintained due to a fondness of horses and wealth of carriages by the family. It has a loft for hay and stalls for the horses.

History

 * Kihrin's Room :: ((SPOILER WARNING)) - According to Alshena D'Mon (who is a disguised Talon), the bedroom in which Kihrin stays first belonged to Lady Nora, Therin's first wife. When she died giving birth to Devyeh and was not Returned, her handmaiden Lady Miya took over the rooms and had them redecorated. When she moved in she began issuing orders as if they came from Therin, while he slipped into a depression over his wife. She moved out of the rooms around the time Kihrin was born, or just before. The lock placed on the outside of the door likely has much to do with Lady Miya being a gaeshed slave at the time.

"''So why did she give it up? Why aren't these still her rooms?' 'That, my young stepson, is one of the other great scandals of House D'Mon.'"


 * The Crypts :: ((SPOILER WARNING)) - The crypts were first built by Saric D'Mon to be his and his four dozen concubine's tomb. At the time it was fashionable to kill an entourage at your death to guard your tomb. It feel out of fashion when they realized those unwilling to die often sought revenge as a ghost. According to legend the concubines of Saric reanimated and began killing any who entered and the newly risen High Lord. They killed twenty soldiers and five family members before at last dying permanently. After that the tomb was converted by Pedron D'Mon into a demon summoning chamber, and he used the old concubine tombs to house his victims for sacrifice. It is in stopping Pedron from doing this such a sacrifice that Emperor Sandus met his wife Dyana. After that Therin converted the tomb to be a chapel to Thaena and would hold services there. This is how the gold leaf statue of Thaena ended up in the storeroom. It was placed there when Therin turned away from the Black Gate and Thaena when they would not return his wife Lady Nora who died in childbirth. Finally it was converted by Darzin D'Mon to be a place to test poisons. It was used by him, Thurvishar D'Lorus, and Gadrith the Twisted to summon Xaltorath by sacrificing Kihrin.

"''And I've been using the place to test poison recipes,' Galen's father added. 'Yes,' the third man agreed, 'that fit's your reputation.' He didn't make it sound like a compliment.'"


 * Current State of the Blue Palace :: ((SPOILER WARNING)) Most of the Blue Palace is in tact, but it is likely in a sobering state. All the closer members of the D'Mon House or anyone who had claim to the title were killed by Khaeriel. She stole away with Therin, and Kihrin ran from the city in fear of being labeled an outlaw.

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